MORTON ARBORETUM & Garfield Park Conservatory Outside Gardens - MyShadowProductions #178

Howdy everybody (y’all:)!! They tell me here in Aurora that I have a slight southern accent, is Howdy a Southern greeting? 

On Saturday July 6, 2024 I went to the Morton Arboretum to see what it offered in the early Summer. I saw gardens of flowers and wildflowers and a lot of greens and a lot of “bark browns” (are those colors?) Oh, and more blue skies with fluffy white clouds.

One new flower for me (I think) was the Queen of the Prairie:

I really liked this “subtle group” of colors!

CLICK HERE for a Video created from my photos along my Sanity Walk.

I want to share my gratitude for “finding” Garfield Park Conservatory (GPC) to volunteer at one day a week (usually Wednesday 9-12). One of the coolest things is being in the Artist’s Garden (my adopted space to “work”) weeding, pruning, etc. and hear a school bus or two or three pull-up and then hear the kids laughing and talking with excitement before the bus doors are even opened :)

Here is a Video created from my photos at the GPC outside gardens over the last few months, the sun and rain have been working overtime :)

Did you notice the Hawk I accidentally captured in one of the photos?

MyShadow made a very slight appearance in the Video but MyWheelbarrow made several obvious ones :)

Now, a little about food :) Summer is a great time to make and eat Cowboy Caviar! Not too bad in Fall or Winter or Spring either :)

1 can yellow or white corn, 1 can black eyed peas, bell pepper (any color), onion, cilantro, black beans, red beans, jalapeño (remove seeds), garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, 2 Roma tomatoes and red wine vinegar & olive oil. Eat cold as a salad with salsa and avocado chunks added or mix in avocado and use as a dip with corn tortilla chips :) (you’re welcome:)

Use this recipe as a base and try an addition like ground beef, ground pork, bacon, shrimp, radishes, cucumbers, carrots, shredded cheese, sour cream, garbanzo beans, etc.

Here are a few more Public Art pieces in Chicago:

The “color” of The Picasso doesn’t contrast with the surrounding buildings as well as Calder’s Flamingo does in the previous Post (in my opinion:).

One last note, about the lily pond at GPC and the one in Denver Botanic Garden, in Denver they colored the water (black) in GPC the water is clear with gravel on the bottom. Both are a “good look” and fit their respective Gardens (I am full of opinions today :)

                       Denver

        GPC, they try to clean the green moss daily.

Have a Great final week of July !!!